xliv. laying it all out
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CHAPTER FORTY FOUR. LAYING IT ALL OUT
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Evangeline's mind had remained on the conversation she and Vivian had with Remus. She was still struggling to wrap her head around all of the information that he had relayed to the sisters. Especially everything related to her mother. Evangeline was still having trouble processing the fact that Eliana Caspian would sometimes have visions of the future.
She and Vivian had numerous conversations about it. However Vivian didn't seem as freaked out as Evangeline. Then again, she was always more level headed than the younger girl.
Evangeline was currently sat in her Apparition lesson, her head resting in her hand. Although, she couldn't be bothered with what Professor Twycross was saying. She had been spacing out in a lot of her classes lately, something she hardly ever did. But these days, she couldn't concentrate on the lessons being taught. Her grades were beginning to slip and she couldn't be bothered to care. In all honesty, she didn't even really notice.
Her friends, however, did notice. They voiced their concerns on numerous occasions, all of which ended with Evangeline assuring them that she was fine. None of them believed her though. Ron was the most worried. He kept trying to speak to her about what was going on with her, but she always found some excuse to get herself out of the conversation. It was evident to him that she was avoiding him. However, he didn't give up, his concern for her too great.
Evangeline sighed for what felt like the umpteenth time. Cleo, who had been sitting next to her, turned to face the girl as another sigh emitted from her lips. Evangeline didn't look at the girl when she felt her eyes on her. Instead, she opted to face Professor Twycross and she tried to focus on what he was saying.
Cleo looked over at Harry, eyeing him until he looked over at her. The girl tilted her head towards Evangeline. Harry's eyebrows furrowed in confusion and he mouthed a "What?" Cleo sighed and gestured to Evangeline again. Harry was still confused and she rolled her eyes in annoyance before turning to Evangeline.
"Big test coming up. You think you can successfully apparate?" Cleo spoke in an attempt to have a conversation with the girl. Either Evangeline didn't hear her or she was ignoring her. Cleo wasn't sure which one it was. She sighed again and tapped on the girl's arm. Evangeline's eyes flickered to the girl next to her and she raised her eyebrows in question.
"Did you hear what I said?" Cleo asked.
Evangeline shook her head no. "I'm trying to focus on the lesson," she answered and Cleo scoffed.
"Yeah, sure," she muttered. Evangeline ignored her and returned her attention back to the Professor.
"So, this is the last class before your Apparition test. Meaning, this is the last time that you'll get to practice apparating before the final exam. Everybody up," Professor Twycross was saying. Evangeline stood along with the rest of the students and they all made their way outside.
Evangeline was, unsurprisingly, stopped by Harry and Ron. Hermione was trailing after her, Aldon by her side. Cleo was the last to join the little group of friends. "Is there something you need?" Evangeline asked the two who had stopped her.
"We need to talk," Ron said, his eyes boring into her own. She looked away from him and over her shoulder at the retreating students.
"Could we do this later? This is our last practice before the final Apparition test and I kinda wanna use this time to perfect my apparating," Evangeline said. The five all looked to one another before looking back at the girl, who was clearly avoiding their gazes.
Cleo sighed, "We're worried about you, Ang. You haven't been yourself since you were called into Professor Dumbledore's office."
Evangeline shrugged indifferently, "I don't know what you mean. I'm fi—"
"If you say that you're fine one more time, I swear to Godric I will lose it," Ron snapped, cutting her sentence short. She remained unfazed by his tone of voice and looked up at him. "You're not fine. I know it, they know it, and you know it too," he continued.
Evangeline shrugged again, "I don't know what to tell you."
"How about the truth?" Aldon suggested, speaking up for the first time.
"I thought I already did," she replied. Ron was growing aggravated each time she spoke as though everything was fine. None of this was fine.
"I'm gonna go before Twycross realizes that we're not with the rest of the class," Evangeline said after the brief silence.
She didn't allow them the chance to respond as she was turning on her heel and quickly exiting the classroom. She made her way down the corridors and outside to where the class usually practiced apprating. By the time she had got there, her classmates were already practicing. Professor Twycross walked around, aiding students who needed help. Evangeline found a spot a little ways away from the other students and took out her wand.
She closed her eyes and began concentrating. Her eyes opened as she heard the crunching of the grass, the sound a little too close to her. She sighed when she saw the group in front of her. "I'm not gonna have this discussion with you all again," she deadpanned.
Harry held up his hands, "We're just gonna practice, same as you." Evangeline stared blankly at him before rolling her eyes.
They were all really beginning to annoy her. She understood that they were concerned and whatnot, but they had no reason to be. She was just trying to figure everything out on her own and needed space. There was nothing wrong with her. Unfortunately, her group of friends thought otherwise. And unfortunately for Evangeline, they wouldn't stop bugging her until she told them what was going on.
••••
She had been ambushed yet again. And like the last time she had a little intervention with her friends, Vivian Caspian was the person behind it all. After Harry had come to the eldest Caspian sibling and informed her of their concerns, she got to work on orchestrating a plan to get her sister and friends together to talk.
And like the last time, Vivian had tricked her into this little meeting. As soon as Evangeline entered the common room and spotted the group waiting, she turned on her heel. However, she hadn't gotten far because Ginny, who had entered the common room after the girl, had blocked her path. "Ginny, I swear, if you don't get out of my way, I will hex you into oblivion," Evangeline said seriously.
Ginny gave her a look, not believing her words. "Okay, maybe I won't do that. But I will do something," she reiterated.
"Ooh, I'm so scared," Ginny said tauntingly. Evangeline's eyes narrowed at the girl, her face morphing into an intimidating one. Ginny almost took a step away from her. Almost.
"You should be," Evangeline deadpanned.
"Goodness, Evangeline. That's enough. Now will you come over here and sit down so that we can talk?" Vivian said. Evangeline turned to face her. All eyes were on her form as she looked at her sister.
"No," she replied.
"Well you're not going anywhere until we all have a conversation," Vivian said.
"It's funny that you think you can keep me here," Evangeline said, her eyes never leaving her sister's.
Vivian's eyes narrowed, "No. What's funny is that you think that I can't." Evangeline glared at the girl, her anger beginning to trump her annoyance.
"I'm so sick of you," she said through clenched teeth.
Vivian only shrugged uncaringly, "I get sick of me too sometimes."
Evangeline huffed before going to sit in a chair. One located as far away from all of them as she could get. She was not in the mood for this whatsoever. Vivian sat down on the couch and settled into it. "Now, it's come to my attention that you haven't been yourself since our meeting in Dumbledore's office. Is this correct?"Vivian began.
Evangeline shook her head, "No, it is not. They all just think that way because I haven't been talking to them as much."
"That's not true," Harry said and she glared at him. "She's been acting strange. She's been distant. She hasn't been paying attention in class or to anything really," he continued, his eyes on Evangeline, "Your grades are slipping."
Evangeline stared at him, "My grades are fine. And so am I." Ron scoffed, shaking his head though he didn't say anything yet.
"No, you're not. Whatever happened in that office has made you behave very differently. A concerning kind of different," Cleo said. The room was silent as everyone stared at Evangeline. She was growing uncomfortable, but contained the urge to shift her body into another position. "So, do you wanna tell us what went on that day?" Cleo questioned, breaking the silence.
"There's nothing to tell," Evangeline said with a shrug. Groans were heard from her friends. "Let me rephrase that, it's none of your business," she reiterated. They turned to look at Vivian who looked at Evangeline thoughtfully.
"She's right, it is none of your business," Vivian agreed.
Ron groaned again, "Oh come on, Vivian. Since when has that stopped you from spilling the beans?"
Evangeline rolled her eyes, "You guys are so annoying. Why can't you just leave well enough alone?" Hermione clasped her hands tightly in her lap.
"Because, Evangeline, something has changed in you. And I don't know if it has to do with Ron, or what happened in Dumbledore's office, or even with your aunt and uncle, but it's something. And we're worried, okay? We're worried about you. So forgive us if our worrying is so annoying to you. But nothing you can say will make us stop worrying because we care about you and your problems. And we want to help. So let us," Hermione said.
The room became completely silent. No one saying a word. They didn't know what to say. Evangeline was looking down at her hands, her eyes tracing over the lines and crevices in it. Then all of a sudden, she began crying.
She didn't know why it had happened or what was going on in that moment. But she couldn't help the tears that welled up in her eyes and began rolling down her cheeks. All of these emotions that she didn't know she had pent up were spilling out of her in waves of tears. The dam had been broken by Hermione and the tears wouldn't stop.
The group of friends stared at Evangeline in shock, none of them knowing what to do. They could only watch her cry. Vivian was rooted in her spot. She was too surprised to move, not having seen the girl cry like this in a long time. Ron was the first to move, shooting out of his spot on the couch and moving over to where she sat. He crouched down in front of her, attempting to look at her face as she hung her head.
Ron took ahold of her hands and she didn't bother stopping him, too caught up in her emotions to care. He gave her hands a light squeeze and she looked at him. He had one of those looks in his eyes again. The ones that she couldn't decipher. Before she knew it, he was standing, pulling her up with him and maneuvering them to the couch. She sat down on the couch with him next to her.
It took her a few moments to compose herself. Once she had, she grew embarrassed for crying in front of them all. However when she looked up at the group, none of them held looks of judgement, only concern. Evangeline sighed and looked down again. "Sorry," she muttered, "It's just... I don't know. A lot, I guess. I don't know." Ron squeezed her hands again.
"Take your time," Ginny said softly.
Evangeline took a deep breath before releasing it slowly. She looked over at Vivian who nodded her head. With that confirmation, Evangeline began telling them what was going on. She started with the almost attack by the Death Eaters at her home, telling them of having a feeling about the attack before it happened. She then went on to tell them about the conversation that she and Vivian had with Remus in Professor Dumbledore's office. She attempted to explain to them what she was thinking and how she was feeling about it all.
And in the end, it was silent. She had been right, it was a lot. Harry was the one to break the silence. "Don't worry, Evangeline. We'll figure this out. Together," he said. Evangeline released a breath and looked over at him.
"We'll be with you every step of the way," Aldon added. Evangeline sighed before nodding her head.
The group talked for a little while longer before deciding to call it a night. They all dispersed, each person giving Evangeline a hug before leaving. The last ones in the common room were Evangeline and Ron. The boy watched the girl as she stared at the crackling fire. Another sigh escaped her lips and she looked up at him. "So, do you maybe wanna talk now?" She asked.
His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. It took him a few moments to realize what she meant. "W-we don't have to. Not now," he said, shaking his head.
"Well, I already spilled my guts to you. Might as well continue on," she muttered with a shrug.
Ron took a breath and nodded. "Okay, let's talk."
••••
Hello everyone. This horrible emotional mess was chapter forty four. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please be sure to leave a vote. One more chapter left and this series will be done! DO NOT COMMENT FOR ME TO UPDATE! If you do, even as a joke, I will block you.
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