By the time the quartet made their way from the Owlery, where Harry had insisted they go so he could send a letter to Sirius, back to their common room the celebration was in full swing. Fred and George had managed to fill an entire table with treats they'd nicked from the kitchens and celebratory banners hung across the walls.

The noise was deafening, but Evie laughed as she watched Harry be lifted onto the shoulders of their classmates and danced through the crowd. When he was finally released, he joined the rest of their group eating on the couch by the fire. They didn't pause there for long before the entire room was begging Harry to open his Golden Egg.

The sound that cut through the room when Harry opened the egg could only be described as the sound of Banshee screeching along to the music of Nearly Headless Nick's ghost orchestra. The room instantly went from one filled with laughter to one filled with the desperate pleas of their classmates asking Harry to shut it.

"Blimey, what was that?" Seamus piped up. "Sounded like a Banshee. Maybe you'll have to get past one of them next."

"It was someone being tortured!" Neville gulped. He'd gone completely white and spilled an entire plate of sausage rolls onto the floor. Evie stood to comfort him, knowing instantly where his mind had gone. "You're going to have to fight the Cruciatus Curse."

"Don't be a prat, Nev –ow!" George had begun, only to be elbowed in the side by Evie. "What'd you do that for? I was only going to say, it's illegal." He rubbed his sore side, but Evie's only response was to shoot him a warning look so he just tossed his hands up in surrender and moved several steps away.

"George is right, Neville," Evie comforted, turning her attention back to the pale boy. "That curse is illegal. They might have the Champions do some dangerous things but they still have to follow the laws." When Neville nodded and his face began to regain some color, Evie smiled.

"Want a jam tart, Hermione?" Fred was offering as Evie and Neville rejoined the rest of the conversations going on.

Hermione and Evie shared a skeptical look. "What'd you do to it?"

Fred turned to Evie pretending to be shocked. "Nothing! It's the custard creams you've got to watch," he added with a wink and a smile, causing Evie to laugh and Neville to spit his out. "Only joking, Neville," Fred laughed.

"Did you get these from the kitchens, Fred?" Hermione asked as she took a jam tart.

"Yep," he smiled.

"How do you get in there?" Hermione's question instantly caused her best friend to look at her sideways. As innocently as Hermione was attempting to ask, Evie knew she had a clear cut plan forming in her mind.

"You just tickled the pear and it giggles and –" Fred caught on to Hermione's line of questioning then. "Why?"

"No reason," Hermione answered, none too convincingly.

"Going to try to lead the house-elves out on strike now are you?" George teased.

"I will elbow you again," Evie warned.

"Don't tell me you're in on this too," Fred groaned. "Don't you two go upsetting them by telling them they've got to wear clothes and start accepting salaries. You'll throw them off their cooking!"

Evie opened her mouth to retort but before she could say anything Neville, who was standing only a few steps away, turned into a giant canary and the entire room burst into a fit of laughter.

"Oh, sorry Neville," Fred called over the noise. "I forgot it was the custard creams we hexed."

No harm was done, however, as within a minute Neville had completely molted and was back to normal. He even joined in the laughter after getting over the shock of having been a canary.

It was well after one in the morning before any of them went to bed. As Evie undressed she almost forgot to remove the miniature dragon from her pocket, until she felt it moving around. When she removed it and began clearing a space on her bedside table for it, the other girls noticed.

"Ew! What is that thing?" Lavender shrieked.

"Did you bring in a lizard?" Parvati jumped onto her bed.

"It's a miniature dragon, clearly." Hermione rolled her eyes. "Where'd you get it?"

"Cedric gave me his. He said to hold on to it, like an insurance policy, because he's taking it back after the tournament is over." Evie smiled, setting the little blue dragon down and watching it curl up and yawn. "If either of you try to kill her, I'll hex you into oblivion!" She turned to warn Lavender and Parvati, whom she'd suddenly imagined finding her little dragon walking around and stepping on her mercilessly.

"Fine," Lavender scoffed, eyeing it wearily. "But keep that ugly little lizard away from us."

"She doesn't want to be near you anyway," Evie quipped back as she finished getting on her pajamas and climbed into bed. "Goodnight, Hermione. Goodnight, Shadow."

"Shadow?" Hermione questioned.

"It was either that or River and Shadow just seemed to fit more."

"Hmm." Hermione nodded. "Goodnight, Shadow. Goodnight, Evie."

December brought with it wind and sleet and though the castle could be drafty in spots, for the most part its thick walls and amble fires kept the students warm. Evie noted that she was not sure the same could be said for the Durmstrang ship or the Beauxbatons caravan, though she thought the latter with a petty sort of satisfaction.

Madam Maxime's horses, however, were being treated quite well by Hagrid, who made sure they had an ample supply of single-malt whiskey. It was enough, in fact, that the fumes made them lightheaded during Care of Magical Creatures. It was for this reason that when Hagrid told them they could be trying to help their Skrewts hibernate, though he was not sure if they did, that Evie was more worried than she would normally be.

The students cautiously attempted to crate the last ten Skrewts, as the rest had been killed by their kin, only to find they were not, in fact, the hibernating sort. They also seemed to rather resent being stuffed in crates with fluffy pillows. They very quickly reduced their crates to smoldering piles of wood and began rampaging around the pumpkin patch.

Most of the students, Malfoy at the head of the crowd, rushed into Hagrid's hut in order to wait out the danger. Only a few of the Gryffindors, Evie and her friends among them, stayed outside and attempted to help Hagrid tether them to a pole by their stingers so they couldn't hurt each other. It costs them many cuts, bruises and burns, but they managed to catch all except one rather rambunctious Skrewt.

Evie watched as the Skrewt advanced on Harry and Ron. Hagrid tried to instruct them against harming or scaring the creature, and Evie could almost hear whatever Ron muttered to Harry. Smirking, she sneaked behind the angry and quite ugly thing and wrapped her rope around its stinger. It tried to yank away angrily and Evie almost lost her balance, but Harry came around quickly and helped her pull it back towards the pole with the others.

"Well, well, well…doesn't this look fun." Rita Skeeter, dressed head to toe in magenta, smiled as she leaned against Hagrid's garden fence.

"Who're you?" Hagrid asked.

"Rita Skeeter, Daily Prophet reporter," she beamed at him, her gold teeth shinning in the scarce sunlight.

"Thought Dumbledore said you weren' allowed inside the school anymore," Hagrid frowned.

"What are these fascinating creatures?" She ignored him.

"Blast-Ended Skrewts," Hagrid grunted.

"Really?" Rita feigned absolute interest. "Where do they come from?"

Hagrid's face tinted a slight red color and Evie's eyes widened as she remembered Norberta. Hermione, apparently thinking the same, quickly stepped up next to them.

"They're really interesting, aren't they Harry?"

"What? Ouch, yeah!" Harry flinched as Hermione stepped on his foot. "Really interesting."

"Ah, Harry, you're here!" Rita noticed. "Like Care of Magical creatures, do you?"

"Yes." Harry answered stoutly, receiving a proud smile from Hagrid.

"Lovely." Rita waved off Harry, comment as she eyed the damage done to the group that had tried to help Hagrid. "Been teaching long?"

Dean had a nasty cut on his face. Lavender's robes were singed at the bottom and Seamus had three burnt fingers. Looking down at herself, Evie noticed a hole in her pants through which a cut was clearly visible. She closed her robes before Rita could notice, but the damage around them was enough for one of her famous scathing stories.

"This is o'ny my second year," said Hagrid.

"Lovely…I don't suppose you'd like to give an interview, would you?" She kept trying to butter Hagrid up, but Evie wasn't paying attention anymore.

She was keenly aware that if Hagrid gave that interview Rita would destroy him. Thinking as quickly as she could, Evie whipped out her wand and pretended to cough, taking aim at one of the ropes and whispering, "Diffindo."

The rope immediately frayed into nothing and the freed Skrewt rushed forward. Evie jumped out of the way, making sure to knock into Rita and send her falling away from the fence. Her glasses fell from her face, backwards and she was forced to turn from the renewed chaos to find them. Evie could have kissed someone for how lucky that was.

Fortunately, since she had not actually thought about the aftermath of letting a Skrewt free again, it was subdued quickly and secured. But when Evie looked up, she realized that Hermione knew what she'd just done and was looking at her in absolute confusion. She smiled apologetically at her best friend before turning to Skeeter who was waving her wand to clean herself off.

"Oh gosh, I'm so sorry," Evie feigned concern. "I'll go get Professor Dumbledore. He'll want to personally make sure any Daily Prophet reporter hurt on his school grounds is alright."

Rita's eyes widened. "That's really not necessary. I'm fine dear girl."

"No, I insist!" Evie talked over her, pretending to get more frantic. "I'll just run up to the castle right now."

"I'm leaving anyway." Rita assured her, turning and rushing off as Evie turned towards the castle. "We'll talk more later, Hagrid." She called, as she kept moving away from the class and the school grounds.

Evie sighed as she watched the woman scurry away to avoid being caught. Just as Rita fell out of sight the bell rang and Evie and her friends started towards the castle.

"What was that all about?" Hermione asked as they walked.

"I had to stop them from setting up an interview."

"So you almost killed us all?" Ron complained.

"Guys, if Hagrid had that interview they'd be calling for his head by the end of the month," Evie sighed. "We have no idea where he got those Skrewts, and can you imagine how she'd have spun it if she'd found out what they can do?"

"Dumbledore wouldn't fire Hagrid just for that," Ron waved off Evie's concern.

"No, but he might not have had much of a choice if the Ministry had come down on Hagrid," Evie pointed out, getting annoyed by her friend's lack of understanding. "Those things are just the tip of the iceberg with Hagrid, and if he accidentally told her about some of the other things he's done he'd be gone for sure."

"Hagrid wouldn't do that," Harry reasoned.

"Oh no?" Evie eyed Harry. "How many times has he told us things he wasn't supposed to?"

Her question was met with silence as her friends let it sink in. She watched as the realization and then fear painted each of their faces.

"That was a good call," Harry responded.

"Yeah, I think I'm alright with almost dying today," Ron joked.

"Please, Evie." Hermione whispered towards the end of their lesson.

"Hermione, they don't want to be free! You trying to force it on them is just as bad as the way Malfoy's family treats their elves." Evie sighed in exasperation. She had hoped her best friend had given up after the completely underwhelming response she'd received from everyone around her.

"They just don't know what's best for them."

"Oh and you're the right person to decide for them what that is?"

"Yes." Evie raised an accusatory eyebrow at Hermione. "I mean no. I just…" Hermione sighed. "Alright, I see your point. Please just come with me so I can talk to them and make sure they're happy here?"

Evie stared at her best friend, trying to fight against her urge to be supportive, but sighed in defeat. "Alright, but we're just talking to them, yeah? No forcing clothes into their hands?"

"Of course not," Hermione agreed just as the bell rang.

"Alright, off we go then." Evie swung her bag over her shoulder.

"Do you remember how to get there?"

"I've always known how to get to the kitchen," Evie smiled.

"What?" Hermione looked at her in disbelief.

"Yeah, the Hufflepuff commons are just off the same hallway. You actually pass the entrance to the kitchen to get there."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"You never asked."

Hermione sulked a bit the rest of the way to the corridor, but when Evie presented her to the painting of the bowl of the fruit her face brightened. After tickling the pear and receiving a giggle, the portrait swung open, revealing the bustling kitchen. All around them House elves were washing dishes, cleaning messes from the floor, putting dishes away. When they were noticed, no less than ten house elves rushed forward to ask if they needed anything.

"We're fine, thank you." Evie assured them all.

The girls walked through the kitchen watching the elves work happily. Every so often they would be asked if they were hungry or thirsty. Hermione tried to stop one or two of the elves, but the second she mentioned clothes or freedom, they would burst into tears and Evie would have to reassure them they were not being given clothes or set free. After a few minutes, the elves seemed determined to avoid Hermione altogether.

"See? You're terrifying them." Evie scolded her best friend.

"I was just…" But the sound of wailing coming from a corner of the kitchen stopped her dead. They turned to find the source of the noise.

Two little house elves were sitting in an alcove off to the side. One, dressed in the oddest mix of clothes and random cloth items, was trying to comfort the other. The closer the two girls got, the more Evie felt she recognized the wailing elf, but it wasn't until she thrust her head back towards the ceiling that the tomato nose triggered Evie's full memory.

"Winky?" She questioned in shock.

The two elves turned in their direction, and the big brown eyes of the elf that used to belong to Mr. Crouch landed on her. It was then that Evie noticed she was also in clothes, though hers actually matched and were completely unkempt.

"Misses is knowing Winky?" The other elf asked.

Evie turned to him, staring at his huge green eyes and long thin nose. Something about him seemed so familiar, and left an itch in the back of her mind, but she couldn't understand why.

"She was Mr. Crouch's old house elf." At the sound of her old master's name, Winky broke into more hysterical sobs. Evie cringed. "Well, Hermione, does she look happy to be 'freed'?"

"Misses is called Hermione?" The green eyed elf asked.

"Yes," Hermione tilted her head as the elf seemed to get excited.

"Misses is called Evie?" He turned his question to Evie.

"Yes…" Evie eyed the elf closer. "Wait, are you…Dobby?"

"I knowed it! Misses are Harry Potter's friends!"

"Dobby? The house elf that helped Harry?" Evie questioned again in surprise. Dobby just beamed with pride.

"Harry Potter, sir, he is telling misses of Dobby?"

"I can't believe it. We've got to tell Harry!" Hermione stated excitedly.

"Misses can bring Harry Potter to see Dobby?" Dobby began to shake all over.

"Of course! We'll be right back." Hermione grabbed hold of Evie and dragged her from the kitchen. In her rush to get them to Harry, they nearly crashed into Cedric.

"Whoa!" He put his hands up to stop them. "What are you two doing down here? Did…" He paused as he registered what he'd just seen. "Did you just come out of the kitchen?"

"What? No," Evie answered automatically. When Cedric raised a disbelieving eyebrow she sighed. "Yes, alright? We did just come from the kitchen."

"Evie," Cedric started with a sigh.

"I know, I know," her shoulder's sagged before she waved Hermione on without her. "It's against the rules. We weren't trying to do anything wrong."

"Then what were you doing?" Cedric turned to walk her out of the corridor.

"It's Hermione. She's all stuck on this house elf liberation thing, or whatever she calls it."

"And she's trying to start a riot in the kitchen?"

Evie snorted. "Fat lot of good that would do, but no. She was trying to talk the elves into asking for pay and holidays and stuff. Mostly though she was just making them cry and scaring them."

"Why did you go with her?"

"She's dead set on it. You know how stubborn she can be."

"Oh yes, Hermione's the stubborn one," Cedric smirked.

"Oi, watch it." Evie punched her brother lightly in the arm. "Just because you're some big hero now doesn't mean you can become a prick."

"You're just mad because you know I'm right."

"Whatever," Evie shrugged. "That's why your face healed back weird."

"It did not! Don't be a child."

"You started it."

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Did –" Cedric paused, looking at the smug look Evie was giving him. "Alright, you win that one."

"Because that's such an unexpected development."

"One of these days I'm going to stop letting you win."

"Oh sure you do," Evie rolled her eyes and laughed. Cedric let out a light chuckle as well which trickled into a content smile. "You figured out that egg yet?"

"Have you?"

"I haven't been trying." Evie stuck up her nose. "Neither has Harry for that matter. I was just wondering if he was the only one procrastinating."

"No. After that terrible noise it made, I sort of set it to the side for a bit. I decided to enjoy at least this month without thinking about the tournament."

"I'll bet that makes Cho happy."

"Yeah, we've been enjoying each other."

"Okay, ew. I was just trying to be nice. I don't actually want all the gross snogging details."

"You know, I think I'm fine with you thinking snogging is gross. If you could keep that mindset until you graduate that would be great."

Evie just laughed and shook her head. "Merlin, you're such a dad! I don't think all snogging is gross, just you snogging…and if Dad were ever to start snogging someone," she shuddered.

"I think it would be nice if Dad found someone."

"Well yeah, but if he does, I don't want the mental image of him snogging that someone in my head for the rest of my life."

"No, I suppose that wouldn't be a very fun image to be stuck with," Cedric frowned at the thought.

"See? I'm hardly any more childish than you."

"That's either really insulting or very boastful."

"Shouldn't you know me well enough to be able to tell by now which it is?'

"Probably both."

"Hey!" Evie snapped before beginning to giggle. "Actually no, that's pretty spot on."

The siblings shared a laugh at that before Cedric checked his watch and realized it was nearly curfew. The two rushed back towards the entrance hall, sharing a half hug before heading off to their separate common rooms.

"A ball," Evie groaned into her hands, trusting Hermione and Ron not to let her crash into anything. "How could I have forgotten we were told to bring formal wear?"

Her hands dropped to her sides as they continued walking, slowly, so that Harry could catch up after talking to McGonagall. All around them, their classmates were buzzing excitedly about the possibilities. Lavender and Parvati had not stopped giggling, Neville looked positively sick and Seamus and Dean kept scanning the crowd looking over all the girls that passed by them.

"This is going to be hell," Ron mumbled.

"What are you two talking about? This is wonderful. It's such a great way to get to know the other schools." Hermione smiled brightly.

"It's also a great way to make fools of ourselves." Harry brought attention to himself.

"What did McGonagall want?" Evie asked, frowning as she took in his absolutely miserable appearance.

"The Champions have to open the ball with a dance."

"You're going to need a date."

"Do you even know how to dance?"

"Funny thing is the Dursleys were never big on taking me when they went for their weekly night on the town."

"You're kidding? That seems so unlike them." Evie sassed right back.

"Wow, someone really ought to have gotten her beauty rest."

"Oh shut up," she mumbled.

"Cheer up, Evie. It's not like you've got to ask anyone." Harry and Ron both paled.

"Yeah, I'm more worried I won't be asked," she frowned. "Maybe Dad will want Cedric and me home for Christmas." Evie sighed hopefully.

That night, however, she received a letter making it perfectly clear that her father was happy to let them stay at Hogwarts for the ball. She even began to suspect that he had known about the ball before the school had started. That of course shouldn't have been shocking once she remembered he very likely already knew of the tournament, but he had been Evie's last hope.

In the following week Evie found herself more annoyed with Parvati and Lavender than usual, not to mention all the other girls at Hogwarts who seemed incapable of walking through the halls without giggling anymore. Everywhere she looked people were asking each other to go to the ball. Cedric asked Cho nearly the day they heard of it, even though it was really more of a formality since not a single person in the school thought they might go with other people.

As the weeks passed, Evie became more and more annoyed. It was like listening to all the tournament talk at the beginning of the year, only worse. She watched in annoyance as Seamus asked Lavender, of all girls, to the ball.

"It's alright, Evie," Hermione stated as they sat in the library studying for Snape's poison antidote exam.

"I should've known he wouldn't ask me."

"He was probably just too nervous. Lavender would've said yes to anybody so she didn't have to go alone."

Evie smiled halfheartedly, "Thanks, Hermione."

"Excuse me," the two girls looked up and went wide eyed as they realized Viktor Krum was standing in front of them. "You are Hermoniny, yes?"

"Um, yes." Hermione answered, and then elbowed Evie who was trying very hard not to laugh.

"The paper is saying you are dating Harry Potter, but this is a lie, yes?"

Hermione seemed to have lost her ability to speak.

"Yes!" Evie piped up quickly. "That's a complete lie, she's not dating Harry. Not dating anybody, actually. Completely free…"

"Good. Then will you be coming with me to the Yule Ball, please?"

When Hermione still didn't answer Evie nudged her. "Oh, um, y-yes. I'd love to."

Then Viktor flashed them a wonderfully genuine smile before nodding and turning to leave the library. The girls watched him go before turning to each other excitedly.

"Viktor Krum just asked you to the Yule Ball!"

"I know!" Hermione smiled brighter than Evie had ever seen. "How does he even know who I am?"

"Are you kidding? He's been watching you since he got here. I see those smiles he shoots your way." Evie couldn't contain the giggle that fell from her mouth. "Oh Merlin, Hermione, I'm so excited for you."

"Me too!" Hermione giggled as well. "Oh."

"What?"

"We can't tell anybody."

"What? Why not?"

"D'you remember the backlash I got when I was apparently dating Harry?"

"Oh," Evie frowned. "So, it'll just be our little secret…until the ball of course." Evie shrugged. "Actually…maybe we could tell Ginny as well?"

"Oh, of course," Hermione nodded. "I can't wait."

By the last day of classes Evie had resigned herself to going alone, or with Harry or Ron as their last resort when, while leaving Charms she felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning, she found Zacharias Smith.

"Hello," Evie smiled hesitantly.

"Hi, Evie," Zacharias smiled back. "I was wondering if I could talk to you for a moment."

"Oh, yeah, sure." Evie turned to wave her friends on before the two fell back behind the crowd. "Is this about Charms?"

"Oh, um, no," Zacharias chuckled. "I was actually wondering if you'd go to the Yule Ball with me?"

"Oh…really?"

"If you don't want to that's fine."

"No, it's not that," Evie assured him, even though his sudden change in tone was a bit off-putting. "I was just surprised. I'd love to go with you, really." She smiled kindly and was rewarded with a smile in turn.

"Cool. I'll meet you in the Great Hall around eight." Then he started off down the hall without giving her time to confirm.

"Cool." Evie responded, furrowing her brow as she watched him go.

Even though she didn't really know Zacharias that well, and she was sure the only reason he'd asked her was because she was Cedric's sister, Evie found herself immensely relieved to not be going as someone's last resort, or completely dateless. As such, she blew through the Potions exam with renewed vigor and was not so annoyed with all the gaggles of giggling girls she passed in the halls.

During dinner Evie told Hermione about her date. Though she left out the fact that she wasn't really excited and didn't actually know him that well. She was also interrupted by Cedric, who informed her that Ron had asked, or more accurately screamed at, Fleur to see if she'd go to the ball with him. He then informed her that her friend had last been seen running towards the Gryffindor common room.

Evie should have felt sorry for him, but she was also quite sick of him drooling all over her and hoped that he was too scared to even look in her direction again. Although, when she and Hermione climbed through the portrait hole to find him still looking a bit pale next to a glum Harry, she did find it in her heart to feel bad.

"Hey," she cooed softly when they walked up to the duo. "So…Cedric told me what happened."

"Please don't talk about it," Ron moaned.

"You screamed it at her?"

"Evie, please, shut up."

Through her hardly hidden smile she turned to Harry. "Did you have any better luck finding a date?"

"I couldn't work up the nerve to ask anyone," he mumbled.

"So, Eloise Midgen is starting to look quite good now, isn't she?" Hermione smirked at Ron, referencing an earlier conversation they'd had. "Well, I'm sure you'll find someone somewhere who'll have you."

Ron didn't take the bait, however. Instead he was looking at Hermione as if he'd never seen her before in his life. "Hey, Neville's right, Hermione. You are a girl."

"Oh, sweet Merlin," Evie mumbled.

"Well spotted," Hermione replied scornfully.

"You could go with one of us!" Ron turned to Evie excitedly, as though just remembering she was there. "Actually we could all just pair up and go together. Then we'd all have dates."

"Except that we," Evie bit out and motioned to herself and Hermione. "Already have dates."

"No you don't!" Ron said.

"Yes we do." Evie snapped. "Just because you didn't think to ask us, or anyone else for that matter, until the last minute doesn't mean we've been looked over by everybody."

"Alright, look," Ron smirked as though trying to calm a petulant child. "We're sorry we didn't ask you earlier. Now will you come?"

"Let's go." Hermione seethed and she and Evie stormed out off to their room. "Can you believe the nerve of him?" Hermione fumed as Evie sat on her bed to watch her friend pace angrily. "Telling us we haven't got date? Telling me that I'm a girl, like I don't know I'm a girl?"

"Ron's been an idiot for as long as we've known him," Evie stated with a roll of her eyes.

"I know," Hermione huffed, still pacing. "But the gall of him, I mean –"

"Hermione?" Evie cut her friend off.

"Hmm?" Hermione finally stopped pacing and turned to Evie.

"You're going to the Yule Ball with Viktor Krum."

A smile instantly spread across Hermione's face. "I know."

The two shared a giggle reminiscent of Lavender and Parvati.