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CHAPTER TWENTY NINE. CATCHING UP

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The past week and a half had been quite enjoyable for Evangeline. She got to know Mr. and Mrs. Weasley a lot better. She had caught up with Ginny, Fred, and George as well as Ron. After a few days though, Fred and George had gone back to Diagon Alley to work at their shop, making Evangeline promise to come and visit. However, things temporarily took a turn when Mrs. Weasley began talking about not wanting any of them to return to Hogwarts, claiming that it was too dangerous to return. Maybe she was right.

Remus and Tonks had owled her and Vivian about the topic a few days earlier. They were rethinking letting them return because of the worsening conditions happening in the Wizarding World. Vivian had managed to convince them, mainly Remus who had needed the most convincing, to continue to let them go. But only barely. Despite it all, she was having a good time at the Burrow. And it only got better when Hermione Granger arrived.

The girl had come to stay with the Weasleys for the next few days leading up to their return to Hogwarts and Evangeline was thrilled to see her. The two girls had been owling one another all summer long. Hermione had told Evangeline about all the places that she and her family went and Evangeline had told Hermione some of the different things that she had learned about her own parents. When the Granger girl had arrived, she and Evangeline spent the whole day together. A few days later, the girls were sat in Hermione's room. Evangeline was wearing one of Ron's jumpers, playing with her hair as she listened to Hermione.

"So, you met a boy?" Evangeline asked. Hermione had just finished telling her about her skiing trip where she and her parents had a seemingly good time. On her journey to the top of the mountain, Hermione had chatted with a boy. The Granger girl rolled her eyes. "Really? That's all you got out of this whole story?" She asked. "It's the only important thing that I got," Evangeline replied.

"Evie!" She groaned. "Hermione!" Evangeline mocked. The two girls glared at one another before bursting into a fit of giggles. When they had calmed down, Evangeline was the first to speak. "Was he cute?" She asked. Hermione hid her face in her hands and Evangeline smiled. "He was!" She cried, clasping her hands together. Hermione remained silent.

"What did you guys talk about?" Evangeline asked, making herself more comfortable on Hermione's bed. "Snow. We talked about snow and the cold," Hermione said, growing embarrassed. Evangeline gaped at her in shock, "You're joking." Hermione shook her head and the Caspian girl went into a laughing fit.

"It's not funny," Hermione said, her cheeks heating up in embarrassment. "Of all the things that you could've talked about, you decided 'I'm gonna talk to a cute boy about the cold and snow'. I think that's pretty hilarious," Evangeline said, immediately beginning to laugh again. Hermione picked up a pillow and smacked Evangeline with it.

Evangeline fell backwards onto the bed from the force but didn't stop laughing. "Ha ha. Good to know that my utterly embarrassing moment with a boy is funny to you," Hermione said. She tried to be angry but even she had a smile on her face. Evangeline's laughter came to a stop. "I'm gonna write you a list of topics that you can discuss. So that the next time you talk to a guy, it won't be about something so stupid," Evangeline said, chuckling slightly.

Hermione groaned, flopping backwards onto her bed. The two stared up at the ceiling, a comfortable silence falling over them. "You know, I'm glad that I got to know you. I know it took a little too long for me to come around but, I'm glad that I did. I just wanted you to know that," Evangeline said after a long moment of silence. Hermione smiled, "I'm glad too. You're actually fun to be around. You know, when you're not being a bitch."

Evangeline gasped and picked up the pillow that Hermione had hit her with, smacking the girl with it. "Oh don't act like you aren't one," Hermione said after she was hit. Evangeline rolled her eyes and sat up. "Well, I'm off to bed. Have a nice night," Evangeline said, standing from the bed. "Good night, Evie," Hermione called.

Evangeline sent her a wave over her shoulder and exited the room. She walked down the hallway and into the bathroom. She quickly brushed her teeth before going back to her own room. She grabbed a hair tie off of the table and put her hair into a ponytail, turning off her lights and climbing into bed. Just as she was getting comfortable, she heard shouting coming from outside of the door.

With a sigh, Evangeline threw the covers off of her body and left the room. "Harry, did someone say Harry?" Ron was asking over the stairs' railing. "Me, nosy. Is he up there with you?" Ginny replied. Evangeline walked over to the railing then. "Of course not. I think I'll know if my best friend's in my room, wouldn't I?" Ron replied. Evangeline peered over the railing, "Harry's here?" Ginny nodded, "You haven't seen him?" Evangeline shook her head as an owl hooted.

Hermione bounded to the railing above Evangeline, peering over it. "Is that an owl I heard?" She questioned. "You haven't seen him, have you? Apparently, he's wandering about the house," Ginny said. "Really?" Hermione asked. "Really," a male voice replied. Evangeline recognized it as Harry's. "Harry!" Molly exclaimed.

Evangeline pushed away from the railing and started for the stairs, quickly descending it. Hermione was hot on her tail, her excitement evident. She reached the bottom of the stairs and saw the boy hugging Ginny. Hermione rushed past her. "Harry!" She exclaimed, pulling her friend into a hug. Evangeline was next to hug the boy, giving him a squeeze. When she pulled away he was smiling. "Good to see you too, Evangeline," he said.

Ron hugged him next and then Molly who laughed happily. "What a lovely surprise! Why didn't you let us know you were coming?" Molly said. "I didn't know. Dumbledore," Harry replied. "Oh, that man! But then what would we do without him?" Molly said. Ron moved to stand next to Evangeline, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and pulling her to his side. "Is that my jumper?" He whispered to her. Evangeline bit her lip, "Maybe." Ron rolled his eyes and looked back to Harry.

Harry smiled at the sight of them, his eyes flitting over to Ginny. Evangeline turned her head to where Hermione was stood with a knowing smile on her face. Evangeline rolled her eyes at the girl and squinted. "You have toothpaste on your face," she commented. Hermione brought a hand to her face and wiped it, successfully getting the toothpaste off.

Harry smiled at the group, very happy to be there.

••••

The four friends were now sat in Harry's temporary room. Harry was burning a newspaper that was suspended in the air a few inches above the table in the middle of their little circle. Evangeline was sat across from him and in between Ron and Hermione, her eyes on the newspaper.

"So when did you get here?" Harry asked aloud. Hermione and Evangeline looked at one another, the former deciding to answer. "A few days ago. Evie got here about two weeks ago," Hermione answered. She then looked down before looking back at him. "Though for a while, I wasn't sure I was coming," she added.

"Mum... sort of lost it, last week. Said Ginny and I have no business going back to Hogwarts.
It's too dangerous," Ron said. "Oh come on," Harry said. "Remus and Tonks said the same. Things are getting worse, Harry," Evangeline said. "Even my parents. They're Muggles, know something bad's happening," Hermione added.

"Anyway, dad stepped in. Told us she was being barmy and... Took a few days, but she came around," Ron said. Harry turned to Evangeline. "And you?" He questioned. "Vivian convinced them to let us go back. But just barely," she responded. "But, this is Hogwarts
we're talking about. It's Dumbledore. What could be safer?" Harry said. Evangeline pursed her lips, her eyes flitting down to look at her hands, which had been wringing together.

Ron noticed this and gently took one of her hands, giving it a slight squeeze. She smiled up at him before turning to Hermione when she spoke. "There's been a lot of talk recently that... Dumbledore's got a bit old," she explained. Evangeline bit her lip to keep from laughing. "That's rubbish! Well, he's only... How old is he?" Harry said, turning to look at Ron.

"Hundred and fifty? Give or take a few years," Ron answered. Evangeline couldn't contain the laughter any longer and let it out, her friends laughing as well. The four continued to laugh at Ron's words for a few moments longer before they quieted. Harry sighed, turning to look at Evangeline. "So, how have things been? How's Vivian?" He asked.

Evangeline released a small breath. "Vivian is great. She's been in Italy for the past few weeks. Just sent me a postcard from Naples. Apparently there are a lot of good looking people there and now she never wants to leave," she answered. The three around her began to laugh. "And Remus? How is he? How's Tonks and how have things been there?" Harry asked next.

"Good. Everyone's good and things are good there. Great actually. For the first time in years, I feel at home. Tonks still won't let me call her Nymphadora but I think I can break her. Remus and Tonks are getting more serious. He's going to propose to her soon," Evangeline answered. Ron snickered, "You mean he hasn't done that already?"

Evangeline rolled her eyes, "Not everybody does things as quickly as you do, Ronald." Harry and Hermione looked at one another before bursting out into laughter. Evangeline looked at them in confusion before it dawned on her just how that sounded. She turned to Ron, whose cheeks were burning red, and rolled her eyes. "I didn't— we haven't. That's not how I meant it and you know it," Evangeline said with a huff, glaring at the two who were laughing.

"You sure about that?" Harry asked, still laughing. Evangeline looked around the room for something to throw at him, opting to use her night slipper. She took it off and held it up. He threw his hands out in front of him. "Woah woah, I'm just joking," he said, a light chuckle still leaving his lips. She lowered her arm and pulled the slipper back on. "That's what I thought," she muttered.

The four looked at each other before bursting out laughing. It was ridiculous really. They were laughing at something so stupid. But who knew? They might not ever have another night to just sit down and laugh.

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