I Need Her

Chapter 13

1976

6th Year

//Overheard Conversations and Christmas Plans//

It was quarter-to-nine at night and Evangeline, Marlene, Alice and Lily could be found, still up and working, in the Gryffindor common room. Evangeline rested her head upon her hand as she turned a page slowly in her book 'Fiend or Friend? The true about Werewolves’ on the couch in front of the warm fire place. However, her mind was plagued with a single question, one that had made her read over the same line four times without realizing. Who, or what, was Remus Lupin? She turned a page then stopped when she saw the title of the next chapter: Detecting and Recognizing a Werewolf. Her eyes widened and she began to read adamantly,

"Hey Evie, its getting late." said Lily as she began packing up her books "We should head to bed, we have a test with Professor Binns on the Giant wars in the eighteenth century first two periods."

"Yes." Evangeline replied, her mind absent from the conversation,

"You alright Eves?" Alice asked with a raised an eyebrow "You look lost in thought."

"If you keep biting your lip you're going to have no lip left." Marlene pointed out causing Evangeline to release her lip and get to her feet,

"I'm fine, I just wanna look over a few things first ok?" but Lily didn't look satisfied with Evangeline’s words. The red head quickly reached out and snatched the book that was clutched under Evangeline's hand. Evangeline tried to grab it back but Lily was too quick for her and Lily started walking around the common room which was almost empty except for the four of them. Evangeline followed Lily trying to grab it but to no avail,

"Give it back Lily" Evangeline whimpered,

"Werewolves? Why are you reading about Werewolves?" Lily asked,

"It was a recommendation therefor I was reading it."

"Who recommended it?" Alice asked,

"It’s obvious, isn't it?" said Marlene who leant against the wall with a smirk playing on her lips,

"What do you mean?" Lily asked.

"Well who else loves books besides Evie? Think about it?" but they all looked confused. "Remus..."

"Oh that makes a lot more sense now", said Alice.

"Ooh, Evies got a crush." snickered Lily

"No I don't, honesty it was only a recommendation from a friend.” Evangeline stated simply,

"Ok okay, we are going to bed now Evie, but come up soon okay? You need your sleep Evie, it's good for you." said Lily handing Evangeline the book back and they all went up and Evangeline went back on the couch. The chocolate-haired girl opened her book to the page she left off on about Werewolf recognizing. No one was in the common room now and Evangeline liked this so she turned off the lights.

"Lumos." she muttered and a glowing light appeared on the tip of her wand making the words able to read.

An hour or so had passed and Evangeline was now lying down on the couch reading her book when voices came from outside of the common room. The door opened and Evangeline's heart stopped and her breath hitched,

"Nox." she whispered quickly and was engulfed in pitch black,

"See Peter, I told you no one would be up this late." said a familiar voice,

"I just... wasn't sure." replied a squeaky voice

"You’re never sure Wormtail." groaned a lower voice,

"Stop it.” Evangeline’s eyes widened at the voice “The coast is clear.”

"Do you think Remmy will be okay?" said the squeaky voice,

"Of course he will, no one ever visits that old shack anyway."

"The shack?" thought Evangeline. "The shrieking shack?"

"Come on lets just go to bed already, I'm tired." Evangeline began to sit up and the couch made a sound alarming the three boys,

"Did you here that?" asked the squeaky voiced boy fearfully

"Yeah" the other two voices replied

"Whose there?” demanded a voice which Evangeline recognised as the boy obsessed with her best friend “Show yourselves." then the boys began to shuffle and Evangeline crossed her fingers and squeezed her eyes shut fearfully. What would they do when they found her? Make a fool of her? Spread rumours about her? Hex her? Before Evangeline could come up with more horrifying chances and before the boys could read the couch the portrait door swung open and in came Professor Dumbledore. He was dressed in a night gown that was dark blue and covered in golden moon and stars.

"Professor Dumbledore sir." said the high pitched voice, Peter.

"Has Mr. Lupin been taken to the shack my boys?" asked Dumbledore observing them.

"Y-yes sir, safe and sound like we promised" replied Potter Evangeline had been laying back onto the couch without making a sound. Her heart was beating fast but she kept her breath down but her eyebrows furrowed as she breathed,

“Shack?”

"Good good, well goodnight boys, off you go." and the boy’s footsteps scurried away and into their dorm room. Evangeline had now been sure that the boys Dumbledore had just spoke to had to be James, Sirius, and Peter. Dumbledore let out a loud sigh that startled Evangeline, her head master was still standing in the dormitory not looking to be leaving just yet. The fire place lit up and Evangeline flinched in shock. The fire flooded warmth Evangeline and her eyes opened wide with fear of the Professor Dumbledore would be made at her from listening into what seemed to be a secret conversation with all the whispering and fear in the Marauders tones.

"I expect you to not repeat what you heard tonight Miss Jenner, for yours and Mr. Lupin's safety." Dumbledore told her in a clam voice and Evangeline gulped and nodded her head slightly. The wise man smiled kindly at her before making his leave out the room. Evangeline pulled herself into a sitting position sat up and couldn’t help but let out a light giggled at the thought of how Professor Dumbledore could have possibly known she was there but faded quickly as she got up onto her feet. She was still holding the book Remus had given her and held it up closely to her chest.

"Don't worry Remus Lupin, your secrets safe with me. Whatever it is.” Evangeline whispered to herself as she began to walk past the fireplace as her robe straps scuffed across the floors, up the staircase, and into her dorm clutching the book tight to her chest.

***

Stay at Aunt Elma’s during Christmas.

Sorry

-Sebastian

A sigh escaped Evangeline’s lips as she crumpled up the paper and leaned her head against the bookshelf. This was the way most of her brother’s letters were: simple, short and unaffectionate.

“Don’t worry, Evie.” Marlene said nudging her arm lightly “You can stay at my house.”

“Or mine.” Lily and Alice suggested in unison,

“No.” Evangeline smiled “No, its fine. Anyway, your families have done way too much for me already. Plus, I highly doubt Petunia will be happy to have another magical being in her house.”

“Oh please.” Scoffed Lily “She probably wouldn’t even notice. She too obsessed over her boyfriend, Vernon.” Evangeline shivered in disgust at the man. Vernon Dursley. A large, over weight boy a few years older than Petunia, who was eighteen. The pair were polar opposites. Petunia was bony and tall whilst Vernon was heavy and short. Petunia was obsessed with keeping everything clean whilst Vernon acted like a pig. However, they had one thing in common: they were both foul. Evangeline remembered her first meeting with Petunia Evans. She hadn’t exactly been friendly. In fact, Petunia kept trying to get Evangeline into trouble for using magic using excuses like ‘She made me ugly today’ ‘I heard her plotting to turn you both in a frog’ ‘Lily and her weird friend were threatening me’. Of course, they never worked as Lily’s mum and dad could see straight through her lies. God forbid that Evangeline relive her first encounter with Dursley. The feeling of being squished against the edge of the three-seater-sofa with him taking up 2 ½ of the 3 seats and being engulfed in his boring talk on how his dad ran some drill shop gave her nightmares. She felt sorry for any child that would be forced into care of those two.

“I’ll just stay at Hogwarts over Christmas.” Evangeline shrugged “I’d rather that then go live with Aunt Elma.” The lady had an extreme fondness for living off only pea soup – having bread was an exotic thing to her. Plus, she forced Evangeline (and Sebastian when he was younger) to go to winter school class – which Evangeline didn’t even know existed until she attended one.

“We’ll stay back with you then.” Alice said “We can’t leave you hear alone during Christmas.” Marlene and Lily murmured in agreement but Evangeline shook her head,

“Guys, I’ll be fine.” She assured them “I think I can handle a few weeks without you three.”

“Are you sure?” Marlene asked concerned

“Serious.” Evangeline giggled “I’ll be fine. Anyway, we still have a few weeks until Christmas break anyway. No point worrying about it now.” Just then Evangeline spotted Remus entering the library and he looked…well…awful. His hair was messy, his face hollow and bruised, and his eyes were dull, it was clear he hadn’t made too much of an effort to dress smartly. Evangeline’s mind flashed to that night of her near encounter with the Marauders and he little talk with Dumbledore.

What was Remus’s secret? She had her theory…and she was almost certain. However, she could hardly accuse him of being such a thing…not that it was an awful thing to be. She worried about Remus, not like everyone else suspected though more like a brother. Remus was always there for her, he was one of her first friends and the only one – apart from Lily – whom she could wholeheartedly rely on.

“Poor Remus.” Marlene whispered softly to them and the other girls nodded in agreement as they followed Remus with their eyes. Poor Remus.

“What do you think happened?” Alice asked quietly, Evangeline and Marlene shrugged. Lily, however, had slipped her bottom lip between her teeth and she seemed to be avoiding eye contact with any of the other girls. Evangeline saw this from her peripheral vision and frowned. Why was Lily acting like that?

“Lily?” Marlene tilted her head and Lily snapped her attention to her friend “You okay?” the red-head nodded,

“Yes, I’m fine.” Lily told her but Evangeline detected a hint of untruthfulness to her answer. What did she have to lie about? Did she know something? She was about to ask when Lily stood quickly.

“Severus.” Evangeline looked over her shoulder and saw the boy with thin greasy, black hair standing a few shelves away. He was with a small number of Slytherins but Evangeline knew who they were. Regulus Black, Goyel and Walden McNair – fifth year Slytherins (Except for Regulus who was forth year). Severus looked over his shoulder at them and stared at Lily before blinking and returning to talk with the Slytherins. Lily frowned and slowly lowered herself back into her seat. Evangeline bit her lip and looked at Lily sadly. Severus had spent less and less time with Lily and Evangeline, now preferring to send time with the Slytherins. Evangeline reached over and placed a hand over Lily who was staring at the table, passively.

“Hay.” Evangeline whispered with a smile “Ignore him. He’s just being stupid.” Lily bit her lip before nodding then looked down at her watch,

“Oh shoot.” Lily muttered “I have to go meet Potter.”

“Potter?” Repeated Marlene, Alice and Evangeline in unison

“Yes.” Lily nodded standing up “I have to tutor him in Potions.” Before any of the other two girls could utter a word. Evangeline blinked slowly as she stared at the placed where Lily left. Lily Evans wouldn’t be caught dead talking about hanging around with Potter – no matter what the circumstances.

“…Three gallons that they’re naming their future children…”

“…deal…”

“Yes!” cheered Sirius as he punched his fist into the hair looking down at the wizard-chess board as Aiden Johnsons queen dropped her sword in surrender. The black haired boy smirked widely and leaned back in his chair as Aiden crossed his arms and glared at Sirius. Sirius just smirked snuggly and got to his feet “’till next time.” He walked to James and Peter who were sat on the sofa’s then dropped onto the puffy arm chair and addressed his friends “Now, what are we talking about?”

“Just about Moony’s transformation last night.” Peter squeaked, Sirius ran his hand through his curly black hair,

“He’s fine now.” Sirius commented “Where is wolfie, anyway?”

“Library.” James said through a mouthful of a pumpkin pasty. Sirius nodded just as arms wrapped around his neck from behind a kissed with planted on his ear,

“Broom cupboard, three minutes.” A smirk crawled onto Sirius face as Kerrie Williams walked away from him, swaying her hips.

“Really?” groaned James looking over at his best friend “You cant be serious.”

“I think you’ll find, Jimmy.” Sirius said getting to his feet “I am, Sirius.” He then left the common room and left the common room and headed for the cupboard that Kerri had told him to go to. He entered and heard footsteps coming down the corridor. His lips twitched into a smirk and he opened the door and grabbed the girl by the arm and pulled her into the cupboard. She yelped and Sirius chuckled then pinned her against the wall with her hands about her head. He felt Kerrie struggle in his grasp and Sirius grinned “Oh, being innocent are we baby? Okay then.” He kissed her roughly and the girl squeaked loudly as he immediately slipped his tongue into his mouth.

Sirius froze. He’d felt these lips before, not like he had with any of his ‘girls’. It was the girl from the Gryffindor celebration party a few weeks ago. This was not Kerri. He looked down at the girl he was kissing and his eyes widened when his eyes lock with unmistakable brown eyes that be belong to, none other than, Evangeline Jenner.