FLAMES

It was obvious Eva's face was flustered, how could it not be after her strange encounter with the older Weasley twin? She entered the living room hoping to hide from the boy, Eva wanted to shout at Fred.

She wanted to tell him he meant nothing to her but Eva hated lying and even she couldn't deny how much she liked having Fred close to her.

"Eva come meet my parents properly!" James said patting the empty space next to him on the couch, thinking he was just being friendly Eva complied.

Eva looked at the older man and back to James, they looked so similar. Round glass-rimmed spectacles adorning both of their button shaped noses but while James' eyes were hazel much like her own, Fleamont's were a bright blue.

"You look lovely dear!" Euphemia gushed grabbing Eva's hand, Eva noticed she had a warm aura about her.

"Thank you so much" Eva nodded happily, thankful she didn't look too inapropriate. It was nice conversing with people normally it took away some of the pain Eva had been feeling.

"Where did you disappear to?" James asked quietly as his dad began to ramble on about James as a child. Eva felt her palms become sweaty, oh you know just having a moment with Fred Weasley.

"Trying to find my way around your kitchen"

"Are you sure.. if at any time you feel uncomfortable please let me know, okay?"

However Eva could hardly ask the man to murder Fred Weasley, little did she know James would of done so and happily gone to jail for it, for her.

"I'm okay, i'd like to talk to the other kids for a while though if you don't mind me leaving"

"Go ahead!" James said happily, he wanted to chat with Remus and Sirius anyway.

Eva stood up, clutching her drink in one hand. Where could she go? Eva had the option of joining Harry but it seemed George Weasley and Ron was with him and wherever George was, Fred was.

Ginny Weasley and Hermione Granger seemed to be conversing, although it mostly just looked as if Ginny was talking the ear off the bookworm and Eva did love to talk a lot.

"Do you mind if I join you both?" Eva asked confidently. Ginny nodded eagerly almost jumping for joy, while Hermione seemed to retract into her shell.

"Enjoying your evening?" Eva asked unaware of what to say.

"If you don't mind me asking, why were you invited?" Ginny Weasley asked bluntly, Eva was almost shocked at her honesty and that much was obvious from the visible cringe on Hermione's face.

"Ginny!" Hermione hissed at the younger girl.

"No it's alright, it's only a question and to answer it I really don't know why I was" Eva chuckled at Hermione's face.

"I wasn't being rude.. i'm sorry. I think you're one of the best quidditch players in the school"

"Don't let Oliver Wood hear you say that!" Eva gasped. "Do either of you play?".

"Nope" Hermione stated.

"Chaser.. i'm trying out for the quidditch team!" Ginny told Eva excitedly, in a way Ginny looked up to the older girl.

"The best position!" Eva said winking at the girl taking a small sip of her drink. Eva realised she didn't know what time it was and she didn't want to leave too late so she excused herself.

Eva briefly remembered a clock hanging in the kitchen, so to the kitchen she went. As Eva opened the double doors she could hear faint, manly whispering.

Upon opening the door the three men jumped away from each other.

"I'm sorry I-I just came to check the time"

"It's no problem Eva" Sirius replied cooly, adorning a leather jacket.

"Nice to see you again, Eva!" The scarred man acknowledged.

"You too professor Lupin" she answered not thinking about how much her sentence affected the three men. When Eva faced them all again they were leaning against the counter, each wearing a huge frown.

Was now a good time? Eva supposed it was now or never.

"Can I ask you all a question?" Eva asked shyly, the men reluctantly nodded.

"Please don't think it's weird but I sort of need some information" Eva announced discreetly pulling out the picture.

"You know this woman.. yes?"

"Eva what are you on about?" James asked hesitantly taking the photo from her small hands. The boys huddled together to scan it.

Three of the four boys were present and a woman who Eva identified as Evangeline.

"Where did you get this?" James asked sounding slightly hostile.

"Mate" Sirius warned James.

"No Sirius, Eva where did you get this?!"

"Um it's from a yearbook is it not, Narcissa told me so-

"- that bitch!" James yelled, scaring Eva.

"-She stole this, I don't know how but I-

"- James calm down" Remus said calmly.

"No Remus how did that woman have this?" He snarled. Eva took a step back the grown man was beginning to frighten her.

"She told me you all knew her" Eva spoke up.

"Yea and what else did my lovely cousin tell you?" Sirius questioned harshly, why were they getting mad at her? Eva thought.

"That you tainted her.." Eva whispered.

"What?" James whispered, "answer me!" He raised his voice.

"That you tainted her" Eva repeated almost trembling.

"Bullshit!" Sirius roared banging his fist down on the table.

"I'm sorry... I-I just wanted to ask, I think she might be my mother" Eva said backing towards the door even more.

"You what?" James choked out, she couldn't find out yet. He wasn't ready to tell her.

"We knew her if that's what your suggesting" Remus stated seeming to be the only calm one of the three.

Eva smiled greatfully, he seemed different than she thought he was.

"Were you close, what was she like?" Eva asked coming closer. James was quietly hyperventilating, he couldn't deal with Eva possibly finding out. He needed to prepare for this, if he couldn't handle it how was she going to?

"She was a very talented witch. She could be rude but had a kind heart and-

"-I'm sorry.. I can't do this" James announced putting his drink down and storming out.

"Eva i'm sorry.. Prongs come back, Prongs!" Sirius shouted running after his best mate.

The shouting had alerted Harry, in fact he had heard the whole thing and he too was sprinting out the front door after his father. He tiptoed into the front porch, shivering from the cold air.

"Dad... Dad?" Harry called out, Sirius stormed past Harry back into the house looking angry.

"What was that about?" Harry asked taking a seat next to his terror-stricken dad. James looked at his son, his brilliant, talented son but he had to acknowledge his brilliant, talented daughter aswell.

How was it that she could act so mature while he couldn't even cope with the talk that was bound to come at some stage.

"Sirius looks angry and I don't mean Remus angry, I mean mum angry dad!" Harry said unimpressed with his father.

"I know.." James mumbled.

"I heard what happened in the kitchen"

"You did?" James asked for confirmation.

"Oh yes I did" the thirteen year old rolled his eyes. "You messed up dad".

"I can't tell her yet, how do you look someone in the eye and tell them you've missed their whole life Harry?"

"Look I don't have the answer, i'm only the boy who lived for merlin's sake.." Harry laughed at himself, "-anyways all i'm sure of is that Eva will blame herself for what happened there in that kitchen, she'll feel like she's done something wrong".

"It's harder for her than it is for you!" Harry said.

"I know.." James whined.

"Stop being dramatic, you aren't Padfoot"

"I will tell her soon but not yet"

"Well soon it better be because believe it or not i'd actually like to start acknowledging Eva as my sister" Harry said grumpily.

"I'll ground you smartass!" James glared at his son pulling him into a hug.

Eva stood in the garden letting the winter air cool her nerves, what had she done wrong? Why did people always blow up at her, maybe she shouldn't of asked at all.

"Sickle for your thoughts?"

"Leave.." Eva sneered.

"Nope i'm fine here"

"Do you pride yourself in being the most annoying person I know?" She asked spinning around to make her glare obvious to the red-haired boy.

"I do actually, it means you're thinking about me.." he said smoothly leaning against the fence. Eva huffed but felt compelled to continue the conversation so she moved next to him.

"I do not think about you.."

"Hmm.." he mumbled pulling out a box and a lighter from his pocket. He pulled a cigarette from the box and lit one.

"Bet you're mother doesn't know about that" Eva said raising her eyebrows in surprise.

"What she doesn't know won't hurt her, wanna try?" He asked waving it in front of her. "You look like you need it, what happened to you?"

"Everything" Eva said stealing the cancer stick off the boy, taking a pull and she didn't hate it, just like she didn't hate him.

Fred looked at his wrist.

"Look there's ten seconds till twelve O'clock" he anounced pointing at his arm.

"How do you know?" Eva scowled confused.

"My watch.." Fred replied.

"But you don't have a watch.. what?"

"5,4,3,2,1"

"What are you on about?" Eva frowned.

"0, guess i'll have to kiss you!"

"What no I-