Dum Spiro Spero

Chapter 9

A couple months had passed and the mix of emotions was ever so present in class. Draco was loudly boasting about his father being the one to possibly get Hagrid fired. He quickly shut up with a pointed look from Evalyn. Harry and Ron were whispering excitedly about getting the Firebolt back, with the latter occasionally throwing glares at Hermione. The muggleborn sat across the room, in a different spot. Her head leaned on her desk and her cheeks red. She was quiet this class, not even offering to answer questions.

As the class was dismissed, Evalyn stopped the young girl. "Miss Granger, a moment please?" Remus also picked up on the girl's behavior and went to make some tea. Hermione took a seat in front of Evalyn, hands crossed politely in her lap. "Would you like to talk about it? Boys can be rather daft sometimes." Remus snorted as he returned, causing both witches to glare at him. "Trust me, I would know." Evalyn gave a side eye glance towards Remus.

He chuckled to himself, "She's right, we can be bloody horrid on occasion."

"They were mad at me for getting the stupid broom taken away. I was only trying to look out for Harry, I mean can you blame me? Someone is after him every year!" Evalyn grimaced and Hermione sent a sympathetic look, "Sorry, no offense." Evalyn waved off her concern so the girl continued. "And now his bloody rat is missing and he's blaming Crookshanks for it! My cat wouldn't eat that foul creature, the poor thing was looking rather grim lately."

Evalyn perked up at the mention of the rat, "He hasn't seen him around anywhere?" Hermione shook her head. Not wanting to draw attention Evalyn chose to simply give advice. "Sometimes when they are young, boys like to take their strong emotions out on those closest to them. They like to make assumptions even if there is physical evidence to prove it wrong. He will come around when he sees what a twat he is being."

"Evalyn you can't call students that." Remus sighed as the witch just grinned and winked at the younger female. The two girls started laughing, so Remus said nothing else. He was pleased to see both of them happy.

"But promise me this Miss Granger," she paused while Hermione looked up at her. "Don't let a boy control how you feel, you are strong and you are brilliant. Before you forgive him, make sure he apologizes." The girl nodded, "Now go off to do your assignments, I know you have plenty." Evalyn sent a knowing wink to her and sent the girl off.

Remus looked at Evalyn in amazement. She raised an eyebrow as she started organizing the papers to be graded. "What is it Rem?"

"You're great with the kids." He quietly said to her. "They all seem to like you."

Evalyn shrugged, "I could say the same about you, they say you're the favorite DADA Professor they've had. Me personally, I would like more dueling."

He let out a hearty laugh, "I remember the day you went against Evan, that was brutal." A troubled look fell on her face and she started fidgeting with her rings. Immediately, Remus picked up on the mood change and profusely apologized. He assumed it was because he brought up the former Slytherin.

He was wrong. The guilt about seeing Sirius had been building up. Evalyn decided it was finally time to admit. "I seen him."

"Evan? Are you feeling okay?"

Evalyn shook her head and looked towards the ceiling. It's what she always did when she was nervous. "Sirius. Over the holidays." A chilled silence took over the room. Tears sprung to her eyes and she hung her head in shame. "I'm sorry Rem, I should have told you sooner. I just couldn't figure out how to do it."

Suddenly there was a presence in front of her. The werewolf was knelt before her, his worried brown eyes finding teary green ones. His hands found placement on her arms, trying to keep her attention on him. "Where was he? What did he say? Did he hurt you?" His voice was calm but panicked at the same time.

"He found me, somewhere in the woods. He told me that he would never betray James and Lily, that he would never leave me or Harry like that. He's working on a way to clear his name. And no, he didn't hurt me. I don't believe he could Rem. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you."

Remus ran a hand over his face. He was angry yes, but he was more worried about Evalyn and Harry. "It was stupid of you yes, there's no telling what he will do. Even if he is innocent like he claims, there's no telling what damage the dementors did to his mind." Evalyn said nothing else, she simply cried. Remus sighed again and hugged her, "It's going to be okay."

Maybe there's a chance Remus was right. Evalyn kept thinking that as she sat in Dumbledore's office several nights later. The news was that Sirius Black attacked Ron with a knife. Surely he wouldn't be that stupid. She was abruptly pulled from her thoughts when Dumbledore cleared his throat. "How did he even get into the dorms?" She questioned the Headmaster.

"Mr Longbottom lost his list of passwords." Minerva told Evalyn. The older witch had a hard time even looking at Evalyn this year. The sight of her brought up too many memories that pained her. She pitied the Hufflepuff.

"Do you know anything about this incident?" Evalyn felt the tendrils in her mind. Immediately she scowled at the old wizard.

"Respectfully Headmaster, if you do not trust me, why am I even here? Wouldn't I put the students more at risk if I was as bad as you think of me?" She waited a brief moment before continuing. "But no, I do not know anything about him attacking Mr Weasley. I do not know why, I do not know how, I cannot give you anymore answers than you already have."

"My apologies Mrs Black." He said the name with a slight grimace. Like it was poison. "You may go now, we just wanted to check all possibilities."

"Good night Headmaster, Minnie." She gave both a nod and rushed out of the room.

The next day, she made her way out to the Forest, going to the small cave that has been her husband's dwelling over the months. Hands gripped her waist and she turned around with a scowl. "You attacked him with a knife?!" She whispered. Sirius laughed, which only fueled her anger. "He's a child! And Harry's best friend!"

"I wasn't going after him, I was chasing Peter." He said it like it was normal.

"With a knife?! In a children's dorm?! That was the best idea you got?!"

"IT WAS MY ONLY IDEA! I HAVE BEEN BLOODY SEARCHING FOR NEARLY A YEAR! I DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME LEFT!" Evalyn's eyes softened as he broke down. She swiftly walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him. "Merlin Lynnie, I want to take you on dates, I want to come home to you after a long day of work, I want to make up for the last 12 years that I've been gone, I want Harry to come live with us! I can't have any of that right now!" The man was getting desperate. The pain in his eyes made her heart shatter.

"We will find him, I'll see if Ron will hand him over if he finds him again. We need a better plan. And if at the end of the year, we don't have him, I'll leave with you. We can go wherever you want."

"We can't leave Harry like that," his breathing calmed slightly as Evalyn ran fingers through his hair.

"I go where you go, but I know we will get him." That night, she decided to stay with him. The two cuddled up together in the small cave as the sun faded. Soon after, they both fell into a peaceful sleep.