𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕕 | ℙ𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝟚 𝕠𝕗 ' 𝕙𝕠𝕨 𝕔𝕝𝕚𝕔𝕙𝕖 ' HIATUS

lxxxii

Evelyn buried her head in her hands as her head pounded against her skull. The hot tears that wouldn't stop didn't help at all. She kept having to tell herself it wasn't her fault, and she had warned him- told him what was to happen if he went. And he accepted his fate.

She did what she could, didn't she?

She knew they were inside right now, wondering how they knew Harry was being moved tonight. Probably blaming Mundungus. It wasn't a moment later when she heard footsteps coming toward her.

" There's something you're not telling me, Ev," said Sirius, his hands buried deep within his leather jacket, " Talk to me,"

Evelyn continued to look at the ground, wiping at her eyes and turning around, " I just didn't have a good feeling about tonight from the get go, a-and I told Moody and h-he. . ."

She looked up toward the starry night sky, her eyes landing on the constellation of Orion, " He said if he died like that, fighting, he would be satisfied," she whispered.

Sirius let out a low sigh and came up from behind, enveloping her in a hug and placing a kiss on her exposed neck, " You warned him Ev, and he said he wouldn't have gone down any other way- you did what you could,"

Evelyn sniffed once more, " God, will it ever feel like enough though?"

Sirius shook his head, " That's a downside to being selfless Evelyn, you'll never feel like you did enough. People are going to die, and I'm not going to let you think it's all your fault,"

" I love you, and we're going to get through this but right now we need to be there for Ellie and Harry, alright,"

Evelyn nodded, " You're right, let's go back inside,"

'No,' they heard Harry say aloud, and they all looked at him, surprised: the Firewhisky seemed to have amplified his voice. 'I mean ... if somebody made a mistake,' Harry went on, 'and let something slip, I know they didn't mean to do it. It's not their fault,' he repeated, again a little louder than he would usually have spoken.

'We've got to trust each other. I trust all of you, I don't think anyone in this room would ever sell me to Voldemort.' More silence followed his words.

They were all looking at him; Harry felt a little hot again, and drank some more Firewhisky for something to do. As he drank, he thought of Mad-Eye. Mad-Eye had always been scathing about Dumbledore's willingness to trust people.

'Well said, Harry,' said Fred unexpectedly.

'Yeah, 'ear, 'ear,' said George, with half a glance at Fred, the corner of whose mouth twitched. Lupin was wearing an odd expression as he looked at Harry: it was close to pitying.

'You think I'm a fool?' demanded Harry looking at Remus.

'No, I think you're like James,' said Remus, glancing at Evelyn and Sirius, 'who would have regarded it as the height of dishonour to mistrust his friends.'

Evelyn rubbed her temples, not being able to defend her Godson this time, and it seemed Sirius was in the same boat as her. It looked like Harry wanted to argue but Remus had turned away from him, set down his glass upon a side table and addressed Bill, 'There's work to do. I can ask Kingsley whether –'

'No,' said Bill at once, 'I'll do it, I'll come.'

'Where are you going?' said Tonks and Fleur together.

'Mad-Eye's body,' said Remus, making Evelyn's stomach lurch. 'We need to recover it.

' 'Can't it –?' began Mrs Weasley, with an appealing look at Bill.