I Need Her

Chapter 9

1976

6th Year

//Slughorns Party//

It had been a week since Sirius Black had found out the girl he had been obsessing about over was Evangeline Jenner and he couldn't even speak to her. He wouldn't speak to her, speak of her, or even look at her. Evangeline wondered what was wrong but couldn't get her finger around it. Today was the day of Professor Slughorns annual Slugclub Party and Lily wouldn't shut up about it.

"Do you like the dress I picked out for the Party tonight?" Lily asked as she looked down at her dress. The red-haired girl wore a knee length black dress that was covered in red flowers with the shoulders being a thin black material [X] and her hair was curled away from her face and left down. She looked gorgeous.

"Its beautiful, Lily. Anyway, besides, its not like your there to impress anyone." Evangeline shrugged as she sat on her bed with her wet and just showered hair tied up in towel and covered in a white robe. Lily's expression faded for a few moments but soon returned back to her normal bubbly self,

"Anyway, you'd better get ready, Evie." Lily told her as she pulled her hair out their rollers. Evangeline nodded in agreement before walking over to her wardrobe and opened it. She picked out a knee length floral blue dress that had thick sleeves [X] and lay it on her bed and pulled her hair from its towel and dried with her state of the art small hair drier. Evangeline looked in the mirror and scrunched it up as she dried it. Once her hair way done, she slipped into her dress and put on her make up consisting of mascara, pale pick lipstick and blush. When she was pleased with her makeup, Evangeline pinned her hair to the sides with bobby pins. Lily squealed "You look like a picture." and Evangeline blushed and responded with a thank you. Evangeline looked toward the clock that hung on the wall above the door, it was quarter seven o'clock.

"We should probably head down now." She commented and Lily nodded in response and the girls left their dormitory and headed down the steps into common room. As they descended the steps Lily turned to Evangeline and whispered,

"Fingers crossed we dont see Potter and his rabble." Evangeline smiled and nodded in agreement. However, Lily had spoke too soon as the moment they entered the room a wolf-whistle sounded and a messy black haired boy with thin rimmed glasses strutted over, looking Lily up at down,

"Very nice, Lily-Flower." he smirked and Evangeline smiled as Lily rolled her eyes at his comment but Potter continued with "I need you'd agree to my date at some point." Evangeline giggled at Lily's expression which of a mixture of frustration and anger but with a hit of amusement behind her eyes.

"Evie," she turned to look at Remus who was smiling at her "you look great." Evangeline blushed and mumbled a thank you.

"Wooh! Get in the Moony!" Black announced loudly as he patted Remus hard on the back. Remus rolled his eyes and shoved his friend away, Black turned his attention to her and smirked, "Hello sexy." Evangeline raised an eyebrow and Black winked and moved forward "We could have a small party of our own, babe." Evangeline felt her breath hitch as she was reminded of the Gryffindor party a few weeks ago when Black had kissed her. Remus scoffed and grabbed the back of Black's jumper and pulled him away from Evangeline,

"That's enough now, Padfoot." Remus said then grabbed the collar of James "You too Romeo."

"Oh, yes. Lily is my Juliet!" James shouted loudly as Remus pulled him back "Where is my Juliet, my love!" Lily growled and clenched her fists,

"Potter!" she screamed and Evangeline quickly realized that if Lily were to get her hands on James then he probably wont live another dawn. Evangeline quickly grabbed Lilys arm and dragged her away from Potter,

"My love. Goodbye. T'll next we meet!" James called after her,

"Potter!" Lily screamed and Evangeline quickly pushed her through the portrait whole. Evangeline glanced back and saw Remus was struggling to hold James back, their eyes met and Remus smiled softly at her. A blush formed on Evangeline's cheeks and she hurried out the portrait hole with Remus watching after her and a certain Black watching the pair with his eyebrows furrowed.

"Ah! Miss. Blackthorn and Miss. Evans, perfect timing." Professor Slughorn cheered as the two girls made their way into the room - a classroom had been decorated with balloons, ribbons and silks that were all of a soft green colour. Evangeline shook hands with Professor Slughorn then Lily did the same "Who did you both bring as dates, my girls?"

"We didnt bring anyone, sir." Lily told him as Slughorn called over a waiter - Johnathon Ethon, Hufflepuff - that had a tray of non-alcoholic champagne.

"Oh? What about Mr. Potter, Miss. Evans? Aren't you two..." he trailed off as Johnathon came over with the drinks. Evangeline took a glass from the tray and took a sip as Lily shook her head rapidly,

"Defiantly not, sir." she told him before taking a glass of champagne as well. Professor Slughorn nodded,

"How about yourself, Miss. Jenner? A special man in your life." He questioned and Evangeline pulled the drink down from her lips as she replied,

"No one, Professor." Evangeline told him honestly " I dont have time for such things at the moment."

"Ah, focusing on your studies? Very good choice." he told her with a wide grin on his chubby face. Slughorn then motioned over the photographer at the party. Evangeline moved onto Slughorn's left whilst Lily went on the Professors right and all three raised their glasses up with smiles on their faces. The light flashed and Evangeline saw stars for a few moments after the flash and she blinked rapidly and when she finally saw again Professor Slughorn was now talking to one of his guests and Lily was sipping her drink and looking around the party. Evangeline followed Lily's example and trailed her eyes around the party.

Evangeline recognized many of the people in the room. Many of them were students at Hogwarts but some of them, she knew who they were from their books or from the Daily Prophet. One person she recognized was Bathilda Bagshot, the writer of some of her text books her old History of Magic Classes. She was stood talking animatedly with Liza Elman near the buffet. She took a sip of her drink but then nearly coughed it up when Lily suddenly gasped and grabbed Evangeline's shoulder.

"Oh my god!" Lily squealed in a high pitched voice staring at something on the other side of the room. Evangeline followed Lilys gaze and it didnt take long to figure out what - or whome - Lily had her eyes on. Raphael Roddson, seventh year Ravenclaw. He was hot - very very hot. hot. Evangeline allowed her eyes to run over Raphael and felt herself questions how someone could look so good. Lily breathed as Raphael lifted his glass of champagne to his lips, "He's so hot." and Evangeline nodded her head slowly as she stared at Raphael, "What I wouldn't give to be that glass." The brunette snapped her head to her red-haired friends as a laugh bubbled from her lips,

"Lily!" Evangeline laughed as Lily shrugged simple,

"Come on. I'd get to touch his lips." Lily told her and Evangeline rolled her eyes as she took another sip of her drink,

"You're starting to sound like a certain 'Toe-Rag'." Evangeline told her and her lips twitched into a smirk at Lily's expression - her jaw was hanging open and her eyes were wide. Then, after a few short moments, Lily spoke, her voice quivering with anger,

"Dont ever compare me to her." Lily's eyes narrowed as she spoke and Evangeline giggled then returned her gaze upward and saw that Raphael was looking directly at her. A flush immediately formed on Evangeline cheeks as their eyes met, she averted her gaze away from his eyes. Raphael always made her feel shy and self-conscious - more than she usual was!

"Eve, he's staring at you!" Lily squeaked gleefully and Evangeline glanced back at Raphael. A smirk slid onto his face and he winked at her before slipping into the crowd, leaving her sight. A shaky breath came from Evangeline and she turned to Lily who was squealing quietly.

"Do you think - "

"Everyone!" Slughorn announced and all eyes turned to the Professor who stood in the center of the room with a bright, wide smile upon his face, "I just wanted us to toast to my students to wish them wellness and happiness." he raised his glass "To my students." all glasses raised in a toast with a nod or sound of agreement before taking a sip of their drink. Evangeline smiled as she drank and as she pulled the glass away from her lips the doors to the room burst open and in came Professor Castles, the Arithmancy teacher, stormed inside holding James Potter and Sirius by their shirt collars, that held tightly in his grasp.

"You have got to be kidding me." Lily muttered in frustration,

"Professor Slughorn, sorry to interrupt but I found these boys lurking in the outside corridor telling me they where lost trying to find they're way to the party the where so called invited too." explained Professor Castle looking at the two boys in his grasp with an accusing gaze,

"Watch the collar, its expensive." stated Black shoving away from Professor Castles and shrugging and pulling his collar back to a neat way. James did the same and pulled his blazer, straightening it out.

"Alright Castle's, we where trying to crash the party, happy?" admitted James with a huff at Castles narrowed eyes. Evangeline bit her lip and looked at Black and Potter and found that her eyes locked with Black and a smirk slid onto his face,

"Ah! Jenner! My lovely date!" Evangeline blinked in confusion at Blacks words and looked at Lily in shock, who also wore an expression of complete confusion,

"Miss. Jenner?" she looked Professor Slughorn as he spoke "I thought you said you didnt bring a date."

"I...I didnt." Evangeline stammered and shot a glare at Black who smirked obnoxiously at her. Potter grinned widely beside him and turned his eyes to Lily,

"Oh! My lovely L - " Potter was cut off by Lily shooting a furious glower at him,

"Dont even think about it." she hissed and Potter pouted. Professor Slughorn coughed, turning everyones attention back to him,

"Well," he started, sending a cautious glance to the boys and Evangeline and Lily, then back at the other guests with a quick smile "that's enough for tonight I think. Its getting late and my students need to get rested for their classes tomorrow. Thank you for coming everyone! Have a safe trip to your dorms or homes." A low grumble sounded from the crowd and they slowly began to filter out the room. Evangeline watched as Slughorn looked toward the two boys, Black who was winking at girls as they past whilst James was trying to get Lily's attention, and said "You can take them to my office. Thank you, Aaron." Professor Slughorn said looking between the two boys. Professor Castle nodded and dragged the boys out the room. Evangeline followed the boys with her gaze and soon found her eye locked with Black as he was dragged away. Black smirked and sent a wink to her as he disappeared. Evangeline bit her lip and placed her empty glass on a table and leaving the room with Lily beside her.